The Presidency has asked what it referred to as Nigeria’s latest trade union formation, “the Association of Ex-Jonathan Ministers” what they are afraid of as President Muhammadu Buhari is set to look into how that government spent the nation’s resources.
The Presidency challenged the Jonathan’s ministers to do a bit of self-reflection on the sort of government they handed to President Buhari in May this year to determine for themselves if it would have been right for any incoming government, not just that of Buhari, to ignore the issue of the brazen theft of public assets, which it said, was the first of its kind the country had ever witnessed.
In a statement today by the senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the Presidency emphasised that there is no witch hunting or malice against anyone in the pursuit of the county’s stolen assets.
“This war against corruption knows no friend nor foe. There is no intention to deny anyone of their good name where they are entitled to it and that President Buhari reserves the highest regards for the country’s former leaders, including Dr. Jonathan Goodluck who he continues to praise to the high heavens for the way and manner in which he accepted defeat in the last election. This singular action remains a feat that has earned the former president and Nigeria as country befitting commendations all over the world, the latest coming from Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who visited a week ago.
“For the purpose of emphasis, the issue of fighting corruption by President Buhari is non negotiable. It is sine-qua-non to the overall reconstruction of the economy and social systems which suffered destruction and severe denigration under the last administration. President Buhari will not be deterred or blackmailed into retreat and surrender.
“No one in the PDP can accuse President Buhari of undermining the economy when all they handed over to him is at best, a tottering economy hobbled by corruption and the absence of due process. All he has been doing while around is to put things together, organizing to defeat Boko Haram, paying outstanding salaries, cleaning up the mess left behind, improving security and restoring our relationships with neighbors and the world.
“So what are former ministers afraid of in these things? Have they become a new trade union? Let this collection of ex-VIPs allow the President the peace he needs to handle the reconstruction of the economy and the nation in a manner that most serves Nigeria’s best interests. President Buhari does not need these types of distraction presented by the so-called association of former ministers.” [myad]
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